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)ORCHESTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY 



HISTORY 



OF THE 



Old Blake House 

AND A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE 
DORCHESTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY 



BY 
JAMES H. STARK 

VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DORCHESTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY 



OLD BLAKE HOUSE 

COLUMBIA ROAD 
DORCHESTER, MASS. 

Open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 2 >,to 5 P.M. 

JANUARY 1, 1907 



DORCHESTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY 



OFFICERS, 1907 

President, RICHARD C. HUMPHREYS 

Vict-Prtiidtnt, JAMES H. STARK 

Secretary and Treasurer, JOHN A. FOWLE 



DIRECTORS 



EDW'D A. HUEBNER JAMES H. STARK 

EUGENE R. SHIPPEN EDWD W. McGLENNAN 

JOHN A. FOWLE 



*i»e Society 



HISTORY OF THE OLD BLAKE HOUSE 

By James H. Stark, 
vice-president of the dorchester historical society, 

On April 6, 1891, William H. Whitmore, City Registrar, and 
iVlr. James H. Stark obtained a special act of the legislature 
incorporating the Dorchester Historical Society. This society 
succeeded the Dorchester Antiquarian and Historical Society, 
which was organized on Jan. 27, 1843; but at the organizing: 
of the new society its membership had been reduced to but 
three members, namely: Edmund J. Baker, President; Henry 
G. Denny, Secretary; and WiUiam B. Trask, Curator. 

The new society started with a membership of twenty-fiv€. 
Since then many of the most well-known and influential men 
of the old town have become members. 

Among the results of the society's work may be mentioned 
the observance of the 274th anniversary of the settle- 
ment of Dorchester and the inauguration of Dorchester Day, 
which is now a fixture, and under the auspices of the society 
the anniversary is observed yearly, and is practically a "Home 
Coming" for the residents of old Dorchester that are scattered 
throughout the land. Business houses and private residences 
are elaborately decorated. There are parades, addresses, re- 
gattas, ringing of bells, fireworks, etc. 

The principal purpose of the society is to collect, preserve, 
and publish information concerning the ancient town of Dor- 
chester. 

The activity and industry of its members since its incorpora- 
tion have contributed much to the general interest in Colonial 
and Revolutionary annals, and many scenes of national his- 
toric importance before unheeded and ahnost unknown have 
become through research and publication famihar. 

Among the results of the society's work may be mentioned 

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the location from ancient records of the site on which stood the 
first town meeting-house and the first pubhc school. 

April II, 1894, the society celebrated the looth anni- 
versary of the birth of Edward Everett, who was born in the 
old mansion on the corner of Boston and Pond Streets, at the 
^'Five Corners." A public meeting was held in Winthrop 
Hall, at which delegations from the Board of Aldermen and 
Common Council took part in the services. An eloquent ora- 
tion was delivered by Rev. James De Normandie, and addresses 
were made by Alderman Boardman Hall, Dr. Elbridge Smith, 
and others. Mr. James H. Stark gave a history of the Edward 
Everett mansion, which prior to the Revolution was occupied 
by Thomas Oliver, the last royal lieutenant-governor of Massa- 
^chusetts. A finely illustrated volume was afterward published 
under the direction of Mr. WiUiam H. Whitmore, the Presi- 
dent of the society, giving a full account of the proceedings. 
The one thing that the society stood in most need of since its 
existence was a building in which it could hold its meetings and 
store its archives and historic treasures. The meetings in the 
past had been held at the residence of its members; but it has 
now a headquarters which it can call its own, and that, too, in 
-a historic location and building. 

Valuable House Secured. 

The city purchased a lot of land to be used for greenhouse 
purposes on Massachusetts Avenue, near Five Corners, Dor- 
chester. On this lot was situated one of the oldest Colonial 
bouses in Dorchester, which was offered to the Historical So- 
ciety, if they would remove the same. Mr. John H. Blake, 
Dr. Clarence J. Blake, descendants of the settler who built 
the house, and other members of the family, very generously 
offered $1,000 towards the expense of moving and restoring it. 
Another $1,000 was subscribed by members and others. The 
city allowed the building to be moved upon the triangular piece 
of land at the junction of Pond Street and the Parkway, at the 

[4] 



Five Corners, opposite the Edward Everett mansion. This 
land was given to the city a few years ago by the late Mr. 
Richardson, the owner of the Edward Everett house, and was 
the site of the first town -meeting house and first free school. 
The city also contributed another $i,ooo for grading and laying 
out the grounds surrounding the building. 

The society intend to furnish and fit up the house in Colonial 
style. The furniture will be given by the descendants of the 
early Dorchester settlers, many of whom still reside in Dor- 
chester, and who will avail themselves of this opportunity of 
preserving and handing down to future generations their family 
heirlooms. A portion of the building will be set off for a mu- 
seum and library, which will contain relics of the Indians and 
early settlers of Dorchester and every work obtainable relating 
to the early history of the town. 

The following history of the old Blake house was prepared 
and read by Mr. James H. Stark at a recent meeting of the 
society, and was greatly appreciated by the members: — 

History of the Blake House and Family. 

The ancient and respectable family of Blake is of British 
extraction, and traditionally descended from Aplake, whose 
name appears as one of the Knights of King Arthur's Table. 
Succeeding generations, however, seem to have paid little at- 
tention to the orthography of the name, so variously do we find 
it written. 

Its Etymology. 

In the first instance, by dropping the initial letter it was 
rendered P-Blake, and then, by compression, Plake, one en- 
tire word, both of which alike produce a sound and utterance 
uncouth and unharmonious. It was corrupted into Blague, 
to the confusion of all etymological explanation, had it so con- 
tinued, but chance or design applied a remedy by substituting 

[6] 



Blaake, and ultimately Blake, which latter reading took place 
many centuries back, and has continued invariably the same 
from that period. 

In a " Genealogical History of William Blake of Dorchester," 
published in 1857, appears the statement that the emigrant to 
New England was the son of Giles Blake, of Little Baddow, 
Essex, and the record of several generations of the family is 
given. The substance of this record is trustworthy as being 
a copy from "Morant's History of Essex," but the statement 
that the Dorchester settler was of this family was unwarranted 
by any evidence. Subsequently the late H. G. Somerby, Esq., 
by request of Stanton Blake, Esq., made extended researches 
in England to determine the origin of the American family. He 
finally located it at Over Stowey, Somerset, and the results of 
his investigations were pubHshed in 1881 by W. H. Whitmore, 
Esq., in "A Record of the Blakes of Somersetshire." 

A Blake in 1594. 

The evidences upon which Mr. Somerby based his conclu- 
sions were: first, the record of a baptism in 1594, at Over 
Stowey, of a William Blake (son of Robert and grandson of 
John), the date corresponding to the age of the emigrant at 
death; and, second, the fact that a sister of this William, in 
her will of date 1647, mentioned a "brother in New England," 
no name, however, being given. While this evidence was not 
all that could be desired, it was generally accepted as correct, 
and the pedigree has been copied in several other genealogical 
publications. 

In 1881 Rev. Charles M. Blake, U.S.A., while visiting in 
England, was shown by William Blake, Esq., of South Pether- 
ton, a genealogical chart of the "Blakes of Somersetshire," 
prepared by William Arthur Jones, Esq., A.M. 

An examination of this chart led Mr. Blake to visit Pitminster, 
four miles from Taunton, where he found upon the parish 
registers sufficient evidence to convince him that this was the 

[7] 



early home of his ancestor, William Blake, but he was unable 
at that time to give the matter further attention. 

The Genealogy. 

Recently investigations have been made by Francis E. Blake, 
through correspondence with the vicar of the parish and with 
Edward J. Blake, Esq., of Crewkerne. The latter himself ex- 
amined the registers of Pitminster and Over Stowey, and he 
has had a careful examination made of wills and other original 
sources of information for the purpose of determining his own 
line of descent and verifying the chart referred to. The result 
of these researches, so far as relates to the American family, 
were very courteously copied for Francis E. Blake, and forms 
the basis of Blake genealogy. 

The following records relating to this branch of the family 
appear upon the parish register at Pitminster: — 

Anno Domino 

1588. Grace Blake, daughter of Willm Blake, was baptized the 9th day 
of February. 

1592. Erne Blake, daughter of William Blake, was baptized the third 
day of December. 

1594. William Blake, son of William Blake, was baptized the loth day 
of July. 

1597- John Blake, son of William Blake, was baptized the fifteenth day 
of June. 

1600. Ane Blaak, daughter of William Blaak, was baptized the sixteenth 
day of October. 

1603. Richard Blaak, son of William Blaak, was baptized the seven- 
teenth day of April. 

161 7. William Blake was married to Agnis Bond, widow, the 27th day 

of September. 

1 618. John Blake, sonne of William Blake, and Ann Blake, daughter 

of William Blake, were baptised the day of August. 

1620. William Blake, sonne of William Blake, was baptised the 6th of 

September. 
1624. James Blake, sonne of William Blake, was baptised 27th April. 

[8] 



With this record from Pitminster before us, there cannot be 
a shadow of doubt that we have here the family of William of 
Dorchester. We know that he had a wife Agnes and children 
John, Ann, William, and James, and, to make the case still 
stronger, the age of the father at death, and also of three of 
the children, Ann, William, and James, corresponds with the 
date of the baptism at Pitminster. 

No record has been found of the baptism of Edward, another 
son of William and Agnes, but it is supposed that he was born 
in England, as there is no evidence of the father being in this 
country previous to the year 1636, the statement that he came 
in the "Mary and John" in 1630 being without foundation. 

Very Blue Blood. 

Following the notes of Mr. Somerby, with the substitution 
of William^° for Robert^°, the line of descent will stand as fol- 
lows: Roberts Henry^ Williams, Henry^, Roberts, William^, 
William', Humphrey^ (great-grandfather of the admiral), John^, 
William^°, William", of Dorchester. 

Or, to state the matter more simply, the emigrant is now 
traced as being the grandson of John Blake of Over Stowey, 
through his son William, instead of being so deduced through 
his son Robert. But all the pedigree anterior to the grand- 
father John is not affected by this correction. 

James Blake married Elizabeth Clap. She was the daughter 
of Deacon Edward Clap of Dorchester, born about 1634, and 
died Jan. 16, 1693-94, in the sixty-first year of her age. He 
was the second son of William Agnes Blake, born 1624 in 
England, and died in Dorchester Jan. 28, 1700, aged seventy- 
seven years. He was much in public business, as the records 
of Dorchester prove. From 1658 to 1685 we find him in 
some office almost every year; was a selectman thirteen years, 
rater, constable, deputy to General Court, clerk of the writs, 
recorder, sergeant in the military company, which was then an 
office of honor, and was chosen deacon of the church, and or- 

[9] 



dained to that office Jan. 30, 1672. He served as deacon about 
fourteen years, and was then chosen ruHng elder, and served 
about the same length of time, until his death, both making 
twenty-eight years wanting two days. Tradition says, and 
after the most careful examination of old documents I think 
there is no doubt of it, that he built the house (lately owned and 
occupied by Mrs. Jane Williams, in the north part of Dorches- 
ter, west from Captain William Clap's tanyard, and north of 
Mr. Pettee's house, back from the street), and owned a farm 
adjoining. The house was doubtless built previous to 1650. 
A photograph of it has been taken as it now appears, and is 
here presented. I have no doubt that this is the property de- 
scribed in his will, where he says, "I give and bequeath to my 
son, John Blake, and his heirs, my dwelling house, barns, or- 
chard, yard, garden and ten acres of land adjoining, more or 
less, it being partly upland and partly meadow," valued at 
£400. The house is referred to in the Dorchester town records, 
page 209. When " at a general meeting of the town the 6 (10) 
1669, it was put to the vote" to build a house for the ministry. 
" To be such a house as James Blak's house is, namly 38 foote 
in lenth and 20 footewid and 14 foote betweene Joynts gert 
worke. The Vote was in the Affirmative." It is evident that 
this is the same house, as it corresponds to the above measure- 
ments. 

Farmer, but a Penman. 

This estate was retained in the Blake family till the year 
1825. The bequest to his son Joseph of one 20-acre lot (more 
or less), " bounded on the one side with the land late of Samuel 
and Increase Sumner, and on the other side with the land of 
Captain Clap," must have been in this locality. He was prob- 
ably a farmer, but his time must have been taken up with other 
objects. In addition to the time spent in municipal and church 
affairs, he was frequently engaged in settling estates, as over- 
seer of the will of some friend or neighbor, or guardian of orphan 
children, in writing deeds and other instruments, etc. I will 

[10] 



mention here, by the way, that he was a most beautiful pen- 
man. But few of the present day can exhibit chirography that 
will compare favorably with his which is now extant. 

It appears that he had a peculiar character, such as sound 
judgment and discretion, a faculty for leading others in im- 
portant undertakings, and especially strong faith in his "glori- 
ous God & Redeemer," as he expressed it in his last will and 
testament. 

John Blake, 1657. 

John Blake, who thus became the second owner of the prop- 
erty, was born March 16, 1657. We know but very little of 
his life, except that he was a deacon of the church, as his father 
had been before him. In our search through the last wills 
and testaments of the forefathers of the State we are apt to 
learn more about their deaths than their lives. The will is the 
final summing up of life's work. It is a record of the children 
then living; for in nearly all cases the children are all men- 
tioned. It tells the story of a man's prosperity. It records 
the increase of the ten talents or the single one. Taken all 
together, wills are, perhaps, the most valuable adjuncts to 
family history that can be obtained. 

John Blake, however, left no will; and, as he was but sixty 
years of age when he died, March 2, 17 18, it may have been that 
death overtook him suddenly. His widow, Hannah, was ap- 
pointed to administer the estate. The dwelKng-house was 
valued at £50, and two barns at £20. We found an agree- 
ment on the Suffolk probate records concerning the settling of 
the estate, in which it states that, whereas the said Deacon 
John Blake died intestate, yet not without declaring what his 
will and pleasure was as to the settling of his estate after his 
decease, which was as follows: — 

The Will. 
"His mind was that his two daughters, Hannah and Eliza- 
beth, should have a convenient Room in the House so long as 

[II] 



they or either of them should Remaine unmarried and no 
longer, and that they should not have the liberty of letting or 
in any manner to convey their Rights therein to any other 
person." 

This agreement was dated Nov. 29, 17 19. 

His two sons, John and Josiah, inherited the estate jointly. 
Josiah, who was a weaver, died first in 1748. The inventory 
of his estate contains "his part of a Dwelling House and the 
Shop adjoining thereto, and one-half of Barn and ye one half 
of about 15 acres of land and Meadow adjoining thereto in Old 
Town, Bils of credit ye sum of £700." Among the funeral 
charges was cash paid to James Foster for gravestones, ;^7. 
(These stones were obtained from the old State quarry on the 
Foster estate in South Boston.) The real estate passed to his 
brother John. Josiah Blake probably died childless. 

A " CORDWAINER." 

John Blake was a cordwainer, or shoemaker, as we should 
say now. He died about the first of the year 1773, leaving no 
will. The inventory, filed Jan. 15, 1773, included one-half of 
a barn and the hay, half a dwelling-house and 13^ acres up- 
land and meadow, all valued at £156 gs. 4J. We are unable to 
tell who owned the other half of the house, or, if, as seemed 
probable, John Blake owned it all, why it was not included in 
the list of his possessions. When the estate was divided, his 
son Samuel received the " westerly part of the dwelling house, 
called the kitchen end, and also one-third part of the cellar." 
The three daughters, Elizabeth, Hannah, and Rachel, who 
seem to have been all unmarried at the time, were given the 
remainder of the house and cellar and half of the barn. 

The eldest son John reserved the customary double portion 
of the estate, but no part of the house. 

In this Century. 
Samuel died in 1781, and the inventory of his property does 
not mention the house, from which we judge that he made over 

[12] 



his share to his sisters. At all events, when the house was sold 
in 1825 to Caleb Williams, it was occupied by Miss Rachel 
Blake, the youngest daughter of John. 

Caleb Williams died in 1842, and left the house and land to 
his widow Jane and two minor children. The interest of the 
minors was bought by their guardian, Jane, through a third 
party, in 1847. 

Jane Williams left the property to her son, Josiah F. Williams, 
in 1 891. He sold same to Antonia Quinser in 1892. Quinser 
sold the estate to the city of Boston. 

The old house stood on historic ground, and in the midst of 
several other landmarks and memorials of old Dorchester. 
Old Dorchester burying-ground, where so many noted persons 
lie, is almost in sight. The home of Lieutenant-Governor 
Oliver, the birthplace of Edward Everett, was close by, and in 
front of it on Richardson Park, near the site where the first 
town-meeting was held in the United States, and where the 
first free public school was established, is the spot on which 
the old Blake house is now placed, and where we hope it will 
remain for centuries to come. 



[13] 



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